Commercial vehicles, for example, trucks, are typically equipped with a number and variety of sensors and other devices for collecting data on the operational characteristics of the engine and transmission, the status of various components, and other areas of interest. Putting this information in a form that facilitates understanding, interpreting, and making use of the data is a challenge.
The invention provides a method for visualizing data extracted from a population of data in the context of the population so that the extracted data may be readily understood in relation to the population of data.
According to the invention, the method presents the population of data and the extracted data in the form of an analogue needle gauge, which through long use in a variety of settings (pressure gauges, speedometers, liquid level gauges, etc) has become readily understandable, even intuitive, to users. The display optionally includes a density histogram, indicating the relative placement of the population to the extracted value, and is shown in relation to the needle gauge. The needle gauge may be a dial type gauge or a linear gauge, as described below.
A method for visualizing data in a population of data includes the steps of extracting a subject value from a population of data, defining points of interest in the population of data for comparison to the subject value, the points of interest together representing a scale having a minimum value and a maximum value, selecting a target point of interest, mapping the scale to a graphic gauge display, wherein, points of interest are visually indicated on the graphic display, end points of the graphic gauge display correspond to the minimum value and the maximum value of the population of data, and the target point of interest is visually indicated at a center of the graphic gauge display and, visually indicating the subject value on the graphic gauge display.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the graphic gauge display is illustrated as an analogue dial and the needle is indicated at a selected angle on the dial. According to an aspect of the invention, a sweep of the scale represents an angular change from the minimum value to the maximum value and the target point of interest is illustrated at a top center of the analogue dial. The sweep may be illustrated as a complete circle or an arc.
According to another embodiment, the gauge display is illustrated as a linear graduated scale and the needle is illustrated at a selected linear position. According to an aspect of the invention, a sweep of the scale represents a linear distance from the minimum value to the maximum value and the target point of interest is indicated at a linear center of the graduated scale.
According to another aspect of the invention, a minimum point of the scale and a maximum point of the scale lie outside or at the edge of the population range.
According to the invention, the points of interest are equally distributed on the graphic display, and may be distributed without respect to relative value, that is not scaled over the range of the dial or linear scale. Alternatively, the points of interest may be equally distributed on the graphic according to relative value.
The method of the invention alternatively further includes displaying a density histogram of the population of data in conjunction with the graphic gauge display. According to the invention, frequency in the histogram is represented by color, the darker colors representing higher frequency of occurrence.
According to this aspect of the invention, the method further includes visually indicating the location of the mean value, the 10th percentile and the 90th percentile of the population on the histogram.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the method may include storing graphic gauge displays visualizing a population of data and a subject value created at successive points in time, and displaying a series of said displays in sequence to animate a change over time in said subject value and the population.